I've read a few posts about "losing the magic" as kids get older. Just had to share..

[Jill in Chicago]

Our youngest is leaving for college this Sunday. One of our favorite memories with him is the week DH and I spent with him in Disney. He was in 8th grade. His older brother was in college, and got to take a trip with the marching band to Ireland, so we, without guilt, took our younger son to Disney.

MAGICAL! Every minute. On top of still loving all the rides, there were so many more things he enjoyed doing:

- stopping to watch the street shows and music in Epcot
- sampling food at Food and Wine Fest
- going on "big kid" rides,
- A slower passed lunch and dinner
- loving the live entertainment at Animal Kingdom
- Doing all the attractions at both water parks (huge hit)
- Convincing his mother to swim with the sharks?!
- Chilling back at the rental house in our pool

I am so glad we got to do all of this with him.

 

[YellowJackets]

I agree and it is great to hear that so many find "the magic" in what they enjoy doing at the age they are when they go. We are going in 4 weeks and our 8th grader and 6th grader are more excited to go now then when they were younger.

 

[kohlby]

I never quite understood what people meant by losing the magic. I think some use it as not believing in characters. My older two kids NEVER believed in the characters - and they were both 3 on their trips! That doesn't make it not magical. I don't have teens, so I can't comment on that other than saying that I remember going at 15 and loving it. And remember going several times as an adult and the "magic" still being there. . .

 

[bumbershoot]

I never quite understood what people meant by losing the magic. I think some use it as not believing in characters. My older two kids NEVER believed in the characters - and they were both 3 on their trips! That doesn't make it not magical.

I completely agree!!!!!

And even without believing that they are actually THE characters, my guy has always loved meeting them. Even when he can SEE that, for example, the Merida he met looks completely different than the Merida another child met. He loves meeting Mickey, even though he knows there's a zipper in the back.


First time I went on DCA's Grizzly River Run, I ended up as the one adult in a boat with a gaggle of goofy 7th grade boys (that I'd never met before) who were on a chess team victory "high". They were hilarious! They were enjoying themselves immensely, being just silly as boys that age can be, and when they wanted to go again (it was December, after dark, and raining, so the CMs didn't make them get out of the raft), they invited me. Which was kinda neat.

So I know that older kids can have a blast, too.

 

[Suzy8383]

I can't imagine "losing the magic". I am about to experience Disney for the first time and I have so much magic flying out of my behind I can't stand it!

My kids are still young enough that they believe the characters are real - I think that's the "magic" people are talking about. Which is a bonus. But it's still awesome for me and I'm well past that age!

 

[monorailmom]

Took the first of our twins to college today...and have only been back from Disney for 5 days!

Lose the magic? I don't see it. Okay, when we're home, my teen daughters don't really want to talk Disney. Then, when we're actually there: they are all in. They love the parks: the silly things, like the Country Bears (oh please don't take out Little Buford...) the thrill rides.... Oh and the resort! We stayed at AKV this time, and the pool was a huge hit with them. They loved hanging out by the pool (well except for the bees) but they also loved the savannas.

We had the *best* CM over at Jambo House when we went over there to use the night vision goggles. My teens weren't so sure they wanted to go, but now say it was the best night. His name was J.T., and was from S. Africa. My kids..and we..learned so much from him about life in S. Africa compared to the US, and animal conservation. My daughters insisted we go to the front desk and write up something complimentary for him, he was that good.

It's significant to me that this trip was so close to dropping off two of our daughters at college for the first time. I love that we had that week of magical memories again before they left. I also love that they made sure I knew which restaurants they want to eat at next year!!

The magic continues!

 

[hkp1042]

My oldest was 11 when we went last and it was perfect, he was young enough that he still LOVED the characters and parades but old enough to appreciate and enjoy the World Showcase in Epcot. It was great.

 

[SharingDisney]

One year my daughter didn't want to go... 14-15 years old. She didn't want to miss out on what her friends were doing back home. Now she is 17 and her school band is going. She can't wait and either can we. Our 15 year old and 11 year old (sons) have not the lost magic. We had a chance to go to universal and we did, and made the most of it. But all 3 kids like Disney best. But we love the movies of Harry Potter, but don't like the parks as much. We did give it a good try to like universal as much as Disney, but....

 

[AnnaS]

My 24 and 26 yr. old are already putting dibs (is that the word) on points - they want to make sure they each get a week - actually my oldest, 26, wants a 100 point contract of his own as a gift - he is getting married next month. I said we shall about the points down the road -

 

[donac]

We just got back last night from 8 days with ds27, ds22 and their gf's. A good deal of the time they went off with their gf's and/or their cousins (26 and 21) but it was nice to hear them talking about what they saw or were going to see. They had a blast.

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

I completely agree!!!!!

And even without believing that they are actually THE characters, my guy has always loved meeting them. Even when he can SEE that, for example, the Merida he met looks completely different than the Merida another child met. He loves meeting Mickey, even though he knows there's a zipper in the back.
First time I went on DCA's Grizzly River Run, I ended up as the one adult in a boat with a gaggle of goofy 7th grade boys (that I'd never met before) who were on a chess team victory "high". They were hilarious! They were enjoying themselves immensely, being just silly as boys that age can be, and when they wanted to go again (it was December, after dark, and raining, so the CMs didn't make them get out of the raft), they invited me. Which was kinda neat.

So I know that older kids can have a blast, too.

This is how it was for my oldest DD who was 9 on our last trip. She knew that the characters weren't "real" and were costumes (I don't even like thinking that myself ), but she was so excited to meet them, get pictures with them, and get autographs. I don't necessarily believe that a child has to still believe the characters are "real" in order for Disney World to be magical and awe inspiring for them. I always tell people that when they do believe the characters are "real" they are sometimes afraid to approach them

 

[bennythepug]

relating to this so much ! My 2 teens will not talk Disney at home but once there they are totally in to it I feel like I enjoy it more with them being older, we all do so much more.

 

[crisi]

Older kids can have a blast. We returned with my 13 year old daughter and my 14 year old son.

My daughter isn't likely to loose the magic. I wouldn't be surprised if I were flying to Disney for her wedding. I wouldn't be surprised if she was a college program participant. She enjoys it. We still wait in line 45 minutes to see Minnie, and we always will.

My son is frankly a pain in the back end at fourteen regarding Disney. He wants to sleep in, watch TV, eat junk food. The rides are "boring" (Universal was nice). The characters are "people in suits." There are a ton of vacations he'd rather take (he loved Hawaii and Mexico - and even being dragged around the museums in Washington DC was cooler than Disney). He's the age where he is a pain in the back end at home, too though. Disney is certainly not "cool." But then, being with your parents isn't cool, having to get up early isn't cool. I don't expect him to be much of a Disney grown up - unless he falls in love with someone who is a Disneyphile.

So while some kids keep the magic, some loose it. Some will probably get it back. Heck, you see adults over on the DVC board who loved Disney so much that they bought DVC planning on going yearly (or more) for fifty years who loose the magic.

 

[QueenElinor]

The magic never wears off! The oldest two are 18 and 20 and they STILL think they guided the Liberty Belle into dock when the Captain let them take the wheel!

When they were about 10 & 12 they got to steer the boat, and later that day, we were at Cinderella's castle and while we were waiting they asked a CM about it who said, "Oh, no, there are no tracks or guides under the water! You ABSOLUTELY did steer that boat!

On a different trip, the youngest had his 5th birthday. Everyone in the park knew his name and that it was his birthday! (Because we put it on the back of his t-shirt where he couldn't see). He still remembers that to this day, and he never figured out how it happened.

My daughter still has "jewels" she found on the sidewalk around Aladdin's Magic Carpet (and they of course loved to watch unsuspecting guests getting "spit" on by the camel).

And their favorite memory of Mom had to do with some wonderful cheese we had at the California Grill- Me: "Wow, this tastes just like butter." Waiter: "It IS butter, ma'am." I'll never live that one down! Of course that's better than being filmed and shown up on the screen like my husband was before Monster's Inc. started, with the caption: "This Man Will Buy Everyone Churros After The Show."

No, they never forgot the magic, and that is why we are all going back again for what might be our last big family vacation- for a while.

 

[danceintherain]

It varies based on the person.

I'm a lifetime Disney fan. Even if it ends up declining in the future, I'll ALWAYS be nostalgic about it. Too many happy memories!

My brother, who is only 15 months younger than I am, lost the magic a long time ago. He lost it to the point that he wouldn't drive down with the rest of the family on the trip we took about 6 years ago (he made my parents let him fly) and didn't come at all on the trip 3 years ago. Now we're trying to plan a family vacation for a few years from now, and he says we "always do Disney" and wants to go somewhere else - his pick is an all-inclusive resort in the Caribbean, which is too expensive for the rest of us in airfare alone.
I hope that once he has kids of his own, he'll find it again, but I doubt it, unless he finds a girl that loves it as much as I do. (I can't see his current girlfriend on a Disney vacation at all)

I do think it's important for kids to go before they're teenagers, but I know some teenagers will love it regardless.

 

[happydisneyfamily]

The oldest started high school and he still has not lost the magic. In fact, we are all excited about planning our next trip and they keep asking when are we going. Probably during their winter break after Christmas or during spring break.

 

[LuvMyEAR]

Circumstances being what they were, our much-dreamed about family Disney vacation did not happen until our DDs were 17 and 19 yrs old. It was amazing! Obviously, they felt the magic, as we have been rewarded beyond our wildest dreams by being able to return to WDW several times with our grandchildren (and their parents!)

I am a believer that the age is not an issue...being there when you can is what matters. First trip with DDs as young adults = pure magic. First trip with DGS at 8 months old = pure magic of a new dimension.